Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen expects the NBA’s revamped All-Star Game, which will feature a dedicated team of international players, to add excitement to the annual exhibition.
The league disclosed the new setup earlier in September, splitting 24 All-Stars into three eight-man squads that will meet in a round-robin tournament. One of the rosters will be made up exclusively of players born outside the United States.
“There’s always pride when you represent your country—or in this case, the world—and I think it’s going to be fun,” Markkanen told BasketNews, adding that he hopes to earn a spot on the inaugural Team World roster.
Markkanen, 28, was selected to the All-Star Game in 2023 during his first season with Utah. Injuries have slowed him since, limiting him to 55 appearances in 2023-24 and 47 in 2024-25. Even so, a July report indicated the Jazz have no intention of moving the 7-footer, who has four years and nearly $196 million remaining on his contract.
The Finnish star appeared healthy this summer, guiding Finland to the EuroBasket semifinals while averaging 26.0 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists over six games, performances that landed him on the tournament’s second team.
Asked who he would start for Team World, Markkanen named Nikola Jokić, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Dončić, Victor Wembanyama and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He noted the remainder of the roster will be difficult to finalize, mentioning Franz Wagner, Alperen Şengün, Domantas Sabonis and Karl-Anthony Towns as candidates and adding that selections will depend on each player’s season and team success.
Source: Hoops Rumors
